George "Spanky" McFarland Movies

Fascinated by the story of Aladdin's magic lamp, the Our Gang kids gather together every electric light fixture in the neighborhood, hoping that by rubbing them vigorously, a genie will appear. Thanks to a series of coincidences -- not least of which involves a friendly stage magician -- the kids become convinced that they've succeeded in emulating Aladdin. But their excitement turns to dismay when Mathew "Stymie" Beard believes that he's transformed his kid brother Cotton (Bobby Beard) into a monkey! Despite a marvelous sequence in which Spanky McFarland enjoys a free meal at a lunch counter, courtesy of a trained monkey, it cannot be denied that this film contains a great deal of casually racist humor that seems tasteless when viewed today. For that reason, "A Lad an' a Lamp," originally released on December 17, 1932, has been withdrawn from the "Little Rascals" TV package, though the film is available to home-video collectors. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Marie Blake, the real-life sister of Jeanette MacDonald, played the title role in the one-reel comedy Alfalfa's Aunt. Hoping to launch a career as a mystery writer, Aunt Penelope composes a manuscript which leads her nephew Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer to conclude that Auntie plans to do away with him. With the help of the rest of the Our Gang kids, Alfalfa succeeds in scaring Aunt Penelope off the premises -- much to the delight of his long-suffering parents. Brimming with clever and inventive sight gags, Alfalfa's Aunt -- originally released on January 7, 1939 -- is one of the better MGM Our Gang entries. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Of the many MGM Our Gang comedies focused on whiny child actor Robert Blake, the one-reel All About Hash is often cited as the worst of the bunch. It seems that little Mickey (Blake) is upset over the fact that his parents (Louis Jean Heydt and Peggy Shannon) spend every Monday night arguing. The reason: Mickey's mom invariably serves hash from the Sunday-dinner leftovers, and Mickey's dad hates hash. To teach the two adults a lesson, the Our Gang kids stage a skit on a local radio program, ending with a heartfelt plea by Mickey to stop the quarrelling. All About Hash was originally released on March 30, 1940. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Spanky tries to escape his "command performance" at the Spring Street School's annual Arbor Day show, but local truant officer Smithers (George Guhl) is a little too fast for him. Meanwhile, a pair of wisecracking midgets (George and Olive Brasno) take an unauthorized day off from their performance schedule at a local sideshow. Disguised as children, the midgets are spotted by the indefatigable Smithers, who assumes that they're also trying to duck out of the Arbor Day festivities. Forceably dragged into the School, the midgets are told to sit down and keep quiet while the show proceeds. After an endearingly clumsy kiddie ensemble piece and Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer's ear-piercing rendition of "Trees, the midgets decide to get even with Smithers by putting on a show that no one will ever forget. In addition to the aforementioned adult cast members, the film is also graced by the presence of Maurice Cass as the pompous principal, future Oscar winner Hattie McDaniel as the mother of Billy "Buckwheat" Thomas, and Rosina Lawrence in her first appearance as the Gang's pretty schoolteacher Miss Lawrence. Originally released on May 2, 1936, "Arbor Day" was the last two-reel "Our Gang" comedy; thereafter, with the special exception of "Our Gang Follies of 1938," all of the series' releases would be one reel (approximately ten minutes) in length. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When Our Gang member Mickey (Robert Blake) reads an article stating that one out of every four children born is Chinese, he begins to worry that his new baby brother will be Chinese as well. Spanky McFarland and the rest of the Gang put Mickey at ease by introducing him to the family of Spanky's new friend Lee Wong. Once he's learned that people are people no matter what their ethnic background, Mickey is mollified -- until he discovers that his much-anticipated "kid brother" is not only a girl, but twins to boot. Originally released on February 15, 1941, the one-reel Our Gang comedy Baby Blues might be regarded as patronizing and even offensive by contemporary viewers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Upon learning that Darla Hood's father (Jack Pepper) owns a circus, Our Gang members Spanky McFarland and Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer try their best to impress Darla, hoping to land circus jobs. Never letting the facts get in the way of a good story, Alfalfa claims that he is an expert bear tamer, who uses his "magnetic personality" to hypnotize wild bears into submission. Overhearing this, Darla's dad decides to teach Alfie and Spanky a lesson, and to that end he disguises himself as a bear. Best line: "Alfalfa never turns back!" The one-reel "Our Gang" comedy Bear Facts was originally released on March 5, 1938. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Much against his will, Spanky McFarland had been entered in a kiddie talent contest by his ambitious mother (Kitty Kelly). Hoping to dissuade his Mom from forcing him into a theatrical career, Spanky arranges for the other Our Gang kids to "razz" him during the performance, thereby making certain that he'll lose. While backstage, however, Spanky befriends little Marianne Edwards, who desperately needs the prize money to buy a new dress. Stricken by stage fright, Marianne rushes offstage in tears before she can go into her act. Touched by the girl's plight, Spanky is now determined to win the contest and turn the prize money over to the girl--but the other Gang members don't know that, and they're primed to greet Spanky's recitation with a barrage of boos, catcalls, noisemakers and peashooters. As in the previous comedy Our Gang: Mike Fright, this two-reeler scores its biggest laughs by contrasting the pretensions of "professional kids" with the down-to-earthness of the Gang. As an added bonus, this film marks the debut of future series stalwart Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer. "Beginner's Luck" was originally released on February 23, 1935. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

A superb combination of belly laughs and pathos, the "Our Gang" comedy "Birthday Blues" was originally released on November 12, 1932. When their pennypinching father (Hooper Atchley) refuses to buy a birthday gift for their long-suffering mother (Lillian Rich), brothers Dickie Moore and Spanky McFarland decide to purchase Mom a gift on their own. Unfortunately, the "late 1922 model" dress they've selected is way beyond their price range (a daunting $1.98); thus, acting upon the advice of their pal Matthew "Stymie" Beard, Dickie and Spanky decide to bake a cake with hidden prizes, then auction off the cake at ten cents a slice. This is the film in which the kids' oversized cake --- a truly frightening creation --- emits a low "woooooo-owww" sound as it cools off in the oven. It is also the film in which, responding to Spanky's suggestion that they buy their mom a shotgun, Dickie moans "Aw, what would she do with a gun?" --- whereupon Spanky replies "Shoot Papa!!!!" ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In his final Our Gang appearance, Tommy Bond essays his usual role as the Gang's eternal nemesis Butch. This time, Butch wins the heart of little Darla Hood, leaving heartbroken Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer to cry in his alphabet soup. Mistaking the boy's doldrums for indigestion, Alfalfa's dad (William Newell) prepares to give his son a good dose of Seidlitz Powder -- or, as Alfie calls it, "Settles-It" Powder. Later on, the kids pay a visit to Butch's jerry-built chemistry lab, where the young troublemaker is mixing up what he thinks is an explosive. Recognizing the mixture as Settles-It Powder, the crafty Alfalfa offers himself as Butch's guinea pig, "bravely" downing the concoction in hopes of impressing Darla. Alas, the powders haven't been properly combined, and before long a bloated Alfalfa is floating into the sky, while the rest of the gang frantically scurries to his rescue. Filmed in November of 1939, the one-reel Bubbling Troubles was held back from release until May 25, 1940. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Again concocting an elaborate hooky-playing scheme, Our Gang kid Spanky McFarland places a block of ice on the chest of his pal Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer. The strategy this time is to convince their mothers that Alfalfa has a bad cold, and that Spanky must remain by his side to nurse him back to help. In fact, the boys plan to go fishing the moment their mothers' backs are turned -- and the scheme might have worked, had not little Billy "Buckwheat" Thomas and Eugene "Porky" Lee spilled the beans to Spanky's mom. Vowing to teach the boys a lesson, she orders Spanky and Alfalfa to remain in the house all day and look after Spanky's kid brother Junior. This turns out to be a major mistake when, while trying to clean Junior's clothes, the boys end up locked in a steam cabinet, while poor Buckwheat finds himself stuck in the washing machine's rinse cycle. Though adhering strictly to formula, the "Our Gang" one-reeler Canned Fishing pleased the crowd when it was originally released on February 12, 1938. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Conducting an experiment to confirm his low opinion of the voting public, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) puts a new name on the ballot for an upcoming city-council election -- Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson), who proves surprisingly electable as the returns come in. Future Frasier regular Peri Gilpin appears as Holly Matheson, while former "Little Rascal" George "Spanky" McFarland shows up for a hilarious cameo. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

When the parents of little Eugene "Porky" Lee are threatened with eviction, the Our Gang kids decide to stage a circus to raise the rent money. Spanky McFarland doubles as ringmaster and acrobat, with Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer as a singing trapeze artist, Darla Hood as a lion tamer, Billy "Buckwheat Thomas as the "Wild Man of Borneo," and Porky himself as "The Head Without a Body." Things come to a spectacular climax when the circus' animal attraction, a cranky mule, is "energized" by a bee sting. The one-reel Clown Princes was originally released on April 15,1939. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide